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Biodiversity—Approach
Consistent with Alcoa’s environmental policy and our published position on sustainable development, we actively endorse the concept of conservation of biodiversity by operating worldwide in a manner that minimizes effects on natural habitats and biological resources.
We uphold a commitment not to explore or mine in World Heritage Sites. We are also committed to avoiding legally designated protected areas where strict nature conservation is the management objective. More broadly, we endorse the concept of multiple land use where possible, having successfully operated mines in sensitive native ecosystems and demonstrated our ability to avoid impacts to protected species and targeted values and to reestablish complex ecosystems.
Accordingly, biodiversity conservation is a key consideration in the planning for new or expanded operations, divestment of assets no longer operated, and the day-to-day management of lands we own. Our basic approach is to avoid sensitive areas where possible, minimize the disturbance of the original habitat, and work closely with community and regulatory stakeholders to restore those lands we do impact to the most productive use possible, including, where feasible, re-establishing pre-operating conditions.
With the increasing concern for controlling greenhouse gas emissions and their impact on climate change, we also look to incorporate carbon offsetting opportunities in the revegetation and restoration work we perform.
Impacts on Biodiversity
Alcoa operations can affect biodiversity in several ways.
Our mining activities, although usually limited to relatively small pits where bauxite exists, can affect a region because the pits must be connected by haul roads or conveyors. We work successfully to prevent the isolation of wildlife and the disruption of stream flows. We also maintain vegetation cover and the quality and quantity of surface and groundwater, and our Western Australia operations have extensive programs around the management of soil erosion, weeds, feral animals, and forest pathogens to minimize impacts on biodiversity. We will be adapting such programs in Juruti, Brazil, and elsewhere as we progress. A key objective at our mines is to minimize the footprint of disturbed land by implementing a program of progressive land rehabilitation.
Large water storage or residue disposal lakes that are used at our refineries are attractive to migrating birds.
We control production operations that may affect biodiversity through air emissions of materials like fluoride in order to protect vegetation and grazing animals in a smelter’s vicinity. We have sampling, monitoring, and emission control programs in place at all major sources of these emissions to ensure that the impacts on the environment are acceptable.
Our facilities use water from streams, lakes, and catchments as well as groundwater. This water use can affect biodiversity, as can the discharge of wastewater from our processes. These situations are monitored and managed to preserve biodiversity.
Our use of hydroelectric facilities to generate power can also have effects on biodiversity. These effects can be positive when the reservoirs and water releases are properly managed. We have recently completed detailed studies of the effects of hydroelectric projects in the southeastern part of the United States and are committed to managing and operating all hydro facilities to minimize impacts on biodiversity.
In the past, products such as detachable aluminum pull tabs on beverage cans and certain types of plastic packaging materials, when improperly discarded, could affect wildlife and certain marine species. However, the redesign of these products has significantly reduced or eliminated concerns about such impacts.
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